Hawke's Bay's Morton Estate is set to release a limited number of bottles of a chardonnay that resulted from a perfect crop after a perfect Bay grape-growing summer in 2010.
It is the 2010 Coniglio Chardonnay, which has already tasted acclaim, having been awarded a Gold Medal at the 2012London International Wine Challenge.
The Coniglio Chardonnay is a variety released only in the years when the fruit achieves what the winemakers at the Aorangi Rd winery describe as "absolute perfection".
Only 6463 bottles have been produced, with each individually numbered, wrapped and boxed by hand.
A second Morton Estate international award winner has been released alongside the Coniglio.
The Black Label Chardonnay 2009 is the latest vintage produced under the established Black Label Chardonnay label.
The label first received recognition in 1997 when it was awarded the title of Best Chardonnay in the World at the London International Wine Challenge.
Morton Estate's winemaker Nic Millichip said the much-lauded 2009 vintage was the result of "excellent" chardonnay growing weather. "We had an Indian summer in New Zealand and this type of weather develops flavours of peach and nectarine in the fruit."
General manager Fiona MacDiarmid said the first of the Black Label chardonnays was produced in 1984 and since then the winery eagerly awaited each new vintage.
